Incandescent-lamp socket.



. PATEN-TEDPEB.27,19O6. 11.. MILLER.

INGANDESGBNT LAMP SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1905.

WITNESSES IIYVENTOR.

UNITED STATES To all whom it may (5072/06/ 1 Be it known that I, ROBERTR. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, inthe county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in lncandescentdiamp Sockets, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in incandescent-electric-lampsockets; and it consists of certain novel features hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the incandescent-lamp sockets most commonlyused the electric currentis turned on and oil by means of a rotatable key. To turn the key, theoperator ordinarily uses but one hand, rasping the key only, and unlessthe lamp-socket is upon a rigid fixture the wires are subjected to anunnecessary strain, often destroying the insulation and breaking thewires, and the filament of the lamp is in danger of being broken by thejar upon it every time the key is turned to open and close the circuit.

One object of my invention is to provide a lever by means of which thecircuit may be either opened or closed, while the lampsocket is graspedand firmly held in one hand by a pressure of the thumb or finger of thathand upon the switch-lever.

A further object is to provide a lamp socket of fewer parts and. of morecompactand stable construction, the same being adapted for attachment tothe various forms of incandescent lamps, including the Edison, theSawyer 6i; Mann, and the Thomson- Houston To these ends the inventionconsists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe andclaim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism along the line SS of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is an isometric view showing an alternate form ofconstruction of the switch-lever. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a1netal-cased socket on a line with the top of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is anelevation of a metalcased socket, partly in section. Fig. 5 is a topview of the. lower section of an all-porcelain socket, showing theporcelain only; and Fig. 6 is an elevation of an all-porcelain socket.By an all-porcelain socket I mean a lamp-holder and socket in which allmetallic parts and connections are con tained- Specification of "LettersPatent.

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial lio- 239,390.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 190$.

\ QW I: e-

in a porcelain body, making a lamp-socket complete without a metaljacket.

The same letters of reference indicate some parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, A represents the external portion of the switch-lever,presenting a tlsttened surface on. which to apply the pressure of thethumb or finger required to operate the lever.

Z is the switch-lever proper, fulcrumed at R, near the center of whatis, in effect, a triangle, with each acute angle thereof an arm of thelever. The external portions of the switch-lever will be made entirelyof hard rubber or other suitable insulating material. The spring B isheld by the screw C firmly be tween the center cont act-post D and theper-- celain body L, and said spring is adapted to close the circuitwhen pressed and firmly held by the lever against the nut F and to breakthe circuit by springing away from its contact with the nut l into theposition shown b the dotted lines B. In order to aocomplish a quickbreaking of the circuit when the spring B is released from its contactwith the the nut F, I provide as a preferable form. of construction anextensi mlever T, pivoted to the main switch-lever at W and fulcrumedthereon by the two raised clips U and V. As will be readily understood,when switch-lever and the spring are in the position shown by the dottedlines and pressure is applied upon the then elevated arm of the externalportion of the switch-lever the lip V engages the extension-lever T andforces it against the spring B until the spring is thus forced intocontact with the nut F, where it is held until a reverse motion of theswitchlever allows the spring by its own elasticity to break away fromits contact with F. To break the circuit, pressure is applied to ,thethen elevated external arm of the switch-lever until the clip U engagesthe extensiondever T, causing it to move downward along the spring 13,still holding it in contact with F until the free end of the lever T haspassed the slightly-curved portion of the spring B, when the tension ofthe spring throws the lever T suddenly down upon the lug V, allow- "ingthe spring entire freedom to break quickly,

away from its contact with the nut F.

An alternate form of constructing the switch-lever is shown in Fig. 2,which lever may be found to operate quickly enough for all practicalpurposes without using an auxiliary or extension lever thereon.

The screw H, engaging the nut F, is also a I binding-post adapted toclamp one of the sup ly-wmes.

T e width of the secured end of the spring B is such as to fit snugly inthe rectangular opening in the porcelain block L, while the free endthereof is narrower to allow it to move freelyin said opening. Thecenter contact-stud D is slightly flattened on. one

' side or recessed to receive the spring B and is held securely in placeby the screw C, which screw serves the double purpose of holding thespring B and the stud D in position.

The screw G is a binding-post to which the other feed-wire is attached,and the nut E u on said screw is adapted to connect with t e outer lampcontact directly .in the Thomson-Houston base or by suitable connectionto the flanges of the Sawyer & Mann socket or the screw-thread socket oithe Edison lamp.

The recesses I in Fig. 3 are adaptedto receive the ends of the screwsthat hold the metallic casing together and to hold the poreelain blockin position in the metal case J.

A fib er lining K, required by underwriters,

P is placed between the metal jacket and the through which the livewires enter at Q, Q,

telescoping upon the lower portion M andbeing held thereon bythe-countersunk screw 0 and the nut P, which nut is sealed in an openingin the top of the part N. Thusthere is no metallic portion exposed, andthe socket can be united or separated-without disturbing the stud D. i I

The construction and arrangement of the scveral' parts being thus madeknown, it is though that the operation of, the device will be readilyunderstood.

The path of the current when the lampis turned on is by aconducting-wire upon. the

screw binding-post G, thence ,to the nut E, to the outer lamp-contact,thence through the lamp by the center lampcontact, to the stud D, to thespring B, to thenut F, to the screw binding-post-H, and to the otherconductingwire. The method of making and breaking a circuit has alreadybeen fully explained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pat-- ent, is-- 1. In an incandescent-lamp socket, atriangular switch-lever i'ulcrumed at or near the center of the triangleand having upon the inner arm thereoi an extension-lever, pivotedthereto and fulcrumed thereon. by projections upon the switclrlever oneither side thereof and spaced a little wider than the width of theextension-lever, adapted to engage a spring contact-piece to close thecircuit and to quickly release the same in breal ing the circuit, allsubstantially as described.

2. In an incandescent-lamp socket, the combination of aninsulating-block L, the center contact-stud D, the contact-spring Bsecured to the stud by the screw C set at an angle'to prevent theturning of the stud D,

the nut Ii connected with one oi the circuitwires and adapted tocomplete a circuit by contact with the spring B, and the triangularswitch-lever pivoted on the ltulcrum R at or near the center of thetriangle and adapted to engage the spring B to open or close the circuitby pressing upon the alternately-elevated outer arms of said lever, allsubstantially as set forth.

3. in an incandescentlamp socket, the combination of aninsulating-blockM, an insulating-block N adapted to telescope thereon, the bolt 0 andnut P, the outer contactscrew G and nut E, the eenter-contact-stud D,the contact-spring B secured to the stud D by the screw C set at anangle, to prevent the turning of the stud, the nut F connected with acircuit-wire and adapted to complete a circuit by contact with thespring B, and the triangular switch-lever pivoted on the fulcrum It nearthe center of the triangle and adapted to enga e the spring B to open orclose the circuit by pressing upon the alternately-elevated outer armsof said lever, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT R. MILLER. in presence of- B. LINDEMAN, lVILLIAM B. KNAPP.

